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salvation; so that having condemned corruption in Himself, He might save creation by the power of His divinity; this, then, understanding, she brings to the Theotokos for the ransom of herself and her husband, a spotless gift.

42 For the ciborium of the Forerunner

Seeing me, the covering of the divine table, consider me the Cherubic order;

for understand that Christ is initiated within, the Master of those above and those below.

43 For the templon

Seeing the divine table before your face, reverence the holy thing and stand entirely

in fear.

44 For the holy altar

Awesome is this bema and full of fear, a luminous temple of God, to be touched

by the pure. Approach divinely, and you will partake worthily; for the gift is a fire that consumes the unworthy.

45 For the gates of the narthex

Having passed through the gates of the temple here, go, offer a contrite spirit;

and this is an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord.

46 For the first entrance of the church

As you are about to enter the gate of the house of God, be outside the drunkenness of worldly cares, so that you may find the judge within to be gracious, granting you release from your debts.

47 For the entrance of the church; for a cross

Having me as a guard, do not fear the blows of terrors; for I am a fearsome cauterizer

of demons.

48 Epigram for crosses

Where I am figured, Satan has no place; for I have utterly cast down his power

altogether.

49 Another

At the sight of you from afar the dragon runs, seeing in you the type of the God-woven

wood.

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σωτηρίαν· ἵν' εἰς ἑαυτὸν τὴν φθορὰν κατακρίνας τὸ πλάσμα σώσῃ θεότητος τῷ κράτει· τὸ δὴ φρονοῦσα τῇ Θεητόκῳ φέρει πρὸς λύτρον αὐτῆς τ' ἀνδρὸς ἄχραντον δόμα.

42 Εἰς τὸ κιβούριον τοῦ Προδρόμου

Θείας τραπέζης συγκαλύπτραν με βλέπων Χερουβικὴν νόμιζε ταξιαρχίαν·

Χριστὸν γὰρ ἔνδον μυσταγωγεῖσθαι νόει, τὸν τῶν ἄνω τε ∆εσπότην καὶ τῶν κάτω.

43 Εἰς τὸ τέμβλον Θείαν τράπεζαν πρὸ προσώπου σου βλέπων αἰδοῦ τὸ σεπτὸν καὶ ὅλος στῆθι

φόβῳ.

44 Εἰς τὸ ἅγιον θυσιαστήριον Φρικτὸν τὸ βῆμα τοῦτο καὶ πλῆρες φόβου, ναὸς Θεοῦ φωτεινὸς, ἁγνοῖς

ἁπτέος. Πρόσελθε θείως, καὶ μεθέξεις ἀξίως· πῦρ γὰρ τὸ δῶρον τοὺς ἀναξίους φλέγον.

45 Εἰς τοὺς πυλῶνας τοῦ νάρθηκοσ

Πύλας διάρας τοῦ ναοῦ τῶν ἐνθάδε ἴθι, προσοῖσον πνεῦμα συντετριμμένον·

καὶ τοῦτο θῦμα δεκτόν ἐστι Κυρίῳ.

46 Εἰς τὴν πρώτην εἴσοδον τοῦ ναοῦ

Οἴκου Θεοῦ μέλλοντες εἰσβαίνειν πύλην ἔξω γένοισθε τῆς μέθης τῶν φροντίδων, ἵν' εὐμενῶς εὕροιτε τὸν κριτὴν ἔσω, λύσεις ὑμῖν διδοῦντα τῶν ὀφλημάτων.

47 Εἰς ναοῦ εἴσοδον· εἰς σταυρόν

Ἔχων με φρουρὸν μὴ πτοοῦ κτύπους φόβων· καυστὴρ γάρ εἰμι φρικτοειδὴς

δαιμόνων.

48 Ἐπίγραμμα εἰς σταυρούσ Ἐφ' ᾧ τυποῦμαι, χώραν οὐ Σατὰν ἔχει· καθεῖλα γὰρ τὸ κράτος αὐτοῦ

παντάπαξ.

49 Ἄλλο Σοῦ τῇ θέᾳ πόρρωθεν ὁ δράκων τρέχει τύπον σε δέρκων τοῦ Θεοπλόκου

ξύλου.